Oh does this story pose a puzzle to me indeed. On one side, I loved it, every single line of it, thought it was brilliantly written, but then again it is not much of a surprise coming from you. I can't express what I liked more, the initial parts with the puzzle, the slow development of the plot, the little dragon that I adored or the way Snape changed and yet remained the same. On the other, I did not expect really is first the thing whitened out in the warning (so as to not spoil it for someone), though it did become a possibility in my mind once Sev's condition was described. I wouldn't have minded though at all, except for my second observation that goes with this.
Second, that it went more in the direction of a Harry-centric story for me than a Snarry. I must admit I expected more from the interaction between the two, and the role of Severus here, in my mind, is more of a catalyst and this was just a tad of a let down. I suppose it ties in with that warning up there, so to say, the two are related. Severus indeed being a catalyst for something else for Harry in the future, but their interaction was perhaps a tad too brief, to give this the usual Snarry feel, or at least what I consider one to be.
Still it is brilliant, and is definitely going on the list of my favorites, to be read again and again in time to come. The imagination and the writing are simply too good for anything else! Much thanks indeed!